Leadership

Jennifer Burns, the founder and principal of the program.

Faculty

Mackenzie Carter (Drama):

Mackenzie has an education degree from Millikin University.  In addition, she took two and half years of college theater classes. Mackenzie has benefited greatly from being in plays and musicals throughout high school and college, and co-directing children's theater groups. She has a passion for helping children use their creative gifts from God to glorify Him. She loves to write and direct plays, create fun group building acting exercises, and teach the on and off stage skills of theater.  This will be Mackenzie’s third year teaching at H.E.A.R.T.  

Joelle Chidlow (Home Economics and Sewing):

Joelle is a graduate of Penn State University with a degree in art and has taken many classes toward a degree in interior design.  She currently has a small home sewing business that includes alterations, home decor projects, costumes, etc. Joelle also provides private art and sewing lessons.  She is a mother of two girls (12 and 19) and believes that creating a godly home is an art that every young woman can master. There is intention and skill involved in creating a harmonious, warm  home.  The Proverbs 31 woman is industrious, generous, a gardener, a loving cook, a skilled seamstress, a good mother, and supportive wife. Joelle is passionate about equipping her daughters with these skills and enjoys sharing the knowledge of these skills with others. 

Josh Guge (Sculpting and Woodworking):

Joshua is 3rd generation wood sculptor, born into a family of very talented artists. At an early age Josh learned the art of wood sculpting from his father and grandfather. By the age of thirteen Joshua was selling his sculptures to art galleries and began competing by the age of seventeen. He has won several competitions and “Best of Show” honors. In 2000 Joshua began working on a series of cast reproductions for the Danbury Mint. After graduating from Judson University in 2002 with a Bachelor’s Degree in Visual Communications, he began his own wood sculpting company called Fins in Wood. He has also taught art at Westminster Christian School in Elgin, IL and continues to teach children and adults in his home studio, surrounding communities and around the country.

Kelly Kaufmann (Kindergarten and Science):

Kelly Kaufmann is a home school mom to three children and has been involved with H.E.A.R.T. since its inaugural year. She also serves as the Preschool Ministry director at Village Church of Barrington. Kelly holds a K-12 education degree from San Jose State University, California and also holds a teaching certification in Colorado. She is very honored to be able to use her passions and skills to teach the youngest H.E.A.R.T.folk this year.

Laura Kulesza (Physical Education):

We are delighted to have Laura Kulesza take on the role of Coach Kulesza again. We have learned over the years that P.E. is a very important class for our students on many levels. P.E. is far more than a giving our kids exercise and teaching them about sports. P.E. seems to be a class that is filled with life-shaping teachable moments. We are delighted to have Coach Kulesza in this extremely important role. She has proven herself to be someone who has a huge heart for children, a passion for exercise and sports and a true gift of spiritual mentoring.

Carrie Krueger (Speech and Bible Study):

Carrie Krueger, has been married to her wonderful husband, Brian since 1990.  They are very blessed to now have eight precious children under thirteen years old, and have been foster/adoptive parents for over ten years, with a passion to see children placed in homes that teach and demonstrate the love of Jesus. Carrie’s professional background includes working in many areas of educational presentation and publishing, and developing teaching materials for youth. She has also taught both homeschool classes and led community bible studies. The Kruegers’ believe that home education is an amazing opportunity to plant seeds of God's Word into the hearts of young children and watch them develop a heart of love for God at an early age.

Suzy Marshalla (Science and Strategic Games):

Suzy Marshalla is very excited to be teaching at H.E.A.R.T. again. She has loved science since the sixth grade and credits her science teacher for encouraging her by listening to all her “discoveries”. She graduated from the University of Illinois-Urbana with a B.S. in Microbiology and a M.S. in Biology. She worked for over 12 years at Abbott Laboratories. She loves working with children and has been a Girl Scout leader of two troops for over eight years. Suzy feels it is her calling to teach science to children. She wants the children to develop a curiosity about living things so when they walk out the door in the morning and look around them, they see the world with a little more understanding and awe. Suzy will be teaching science to our 2nd through 4th grade students and strategic games to our 4th through 8th grade students.

Mandy Roper (Music):

Mandy is a homeschool mom to Nathan and Natalie Jo. She is a certified teacher (music, early childhood, elementary, math and bilingual/ESL) who finds great joy in teaching young children. Mandy enjoys planning lessons that not only teach a necessary concept, but also allow them to have fun. Music has always been a part of her life. It motivates her, provides enjoyment, and allows me to relax. Mandy’s desire is for her students to be able to enjoy all types of music and to feel confident in using it to worship the Lord.

Susan Smith (Art):

Sue has taught at H.E.A.R.T. for the past six years and Kaleidoscope School of Art in Barrington for over 12 years. She received her B.F.A. in Illustration from Northern Illinois University and has continued to study art through various instructors and art organizations through the years. She has also taught at Westminster Christian School and currently teaches homeschool students privately.

Spanish Instructors:

H.E.A.R.T.’s Spanish program is directed by Language Resources Ltd. of which Ruth Hoffman is Principal. Several different Spanish teachers will be teaching in our program—this will allow for smaller class sizes and better student skill level division.

Melissa Cruz: Melissa studied Spanish in the U.S. for four years and then moved to Mexico for almost a year to immerse herself in the culture and language. While in Mexico, Melissa taught English in the city prison and worked as a translator for missionaries and public events. She also traveled to Barcelona for intensive training in the Spanish culture and language. She has taught English to Hispanic immigrants at Willow Creek Church. Melissa loves teaching and is pursuing a degree in education at Moody Bible Institute. Melissa’s ultimate goal is to open a private school in Mexico. Melissa also teaches at the Classical Consortium.

Beatriz Czeropski (a.k.a Betty):   Betty will be back teaching at HEART for her second year. She’s from Mexico, and has been in the US for a little over four years. Betty has a B.S. degree in Marketing, and has held several responsible positions in that field both in Mexico and here. She and her husband, Steve, are very active in their church: from the intercessory prayer team to the nursery, from ushering to small-group teaching, they can be found every Sunday doing something important in the life of the congregation. Betty also taught Sunday School and VBS in Mexico. She loves working with kids, saying, “I think that they are the purest thing in the world, besides being so beautiful and unique in their way of thinking.” She is really excited about teaching your children! She and Steve live in Lake in the Hills, and are expecting their first baby in April of 2010.

Maritza Domani: Maritza was born, raised, and educated in Mexico, earning her degree in interior design. She has been in the U.S. for seven years, and is married to Carlos Domani, the associate pastor of Iglesia La Viña in Mundelein. Before coming to the U.S., Maritza was an art teacher for an elementary school in Mexico for three years. She also worked as Director of Christian Education for Castillo del Rey Church in Mexico for seven years, and currently supervises and teaches in the Sunday School program for La Viña Church. Maritza teaches many classes for Language Resources Ltd. She is passionate about teaching kids, and is very excited about teaching her beautiful language to your children! This is her fourth year teaching at H.E.A.R.T.

Mandy Roper: Mandy is the newest member of the Language Resources Spanish team, but she’s an experienced teacher. She is a certified bilingual/ESL elementary teacher (in Texas). She taught bilingual kindergarten for 4 1/2 years and then dual language pre-kindergarten for a year in Texas before resigning to stay at home with Nathan. She appreciates the importance of knowing a second language, especially Spanish. For that reason, she began speaking Spanish to her children from the time they were born. They read stories and sang songs in Spanish everyday. She enjoys teaching children about other people and cultures.


Employment

There are employment opportunities at H.E.A.R.T. Please contact Jennifer Burns at fourthdegree@sbcglobal.net or 847-713-2674 for more information.

Click here to download the H.E.A.R.T. Instructor Application Form.  Please send your completed form to: